In Your Rookie Year
by Whiskeyflips
Summary: An NYPD recruiting initiative spearheaded by Nicky involves Jamie and Tony encountering someone from their past.
1. The Recruiting Project

**In Your Rookie Year**

**Chapter One**

**The Recruiting Project**

Nicky Reagan was now perched in the living room sofa of Grandpa Frank's living room with a glass of red wine in her hand, feeling every bit the NYPD royalty that she, for all practical purposes, was.

Her project was to be inaugurated by the six o'clock news. It had been a collaborative effort by the Communications Department of Columbia University, John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Public Relations department of the NYPD. Nicky couldn't claim credit for it all, in fact her grandpa had toyed with a project like this a few years ago, only to see it get mired down in some unknowable bog of leucocratic red tape and budgeting.

But now the idea was back. With funding. With collaboration. And with Nicky Reagan a key contact in coordinating the project.

"Grandpa! Mom! It's on!" Nicky called. Frank and Erin quickly stepped in. Henry was already perched on the sofa. The commercial began.

_"Hello. I'm Sergeant Erasmus Visser. I graduated the New York City Police Academy in 2007"_

The NYPD was putting forth an exciting recruitment strategy, filming all sorts of NYPD personal reciting the story of the most exciting or inspiring thing that happened to them in their rookie/ probationary year of service.

_"On March 17__th__, 2008, my partner and I were operating an anti- drunk driving checkpoint near the entrance to the Henry Hudson Parkway."_

Each 30 second commercial featured a uniformed cop addressing the camera in front a backdrop of one New York monument or another. Sgt Visser's slot had the Brooklyn Bridge looming behind him.

_ "One driver was pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving. When he failed a Field Sobriety Test he was placed under arrest. Back at the precinct, we checked him for outstanding warrants. David Matthew Stovall was wanted for a series of sexual assaults in Virginia."_

Each story was intercut with relevant photos and videos, such as a drunk driving checkpoint, police cars, a younger rookie photo of the speaking officer, and a picture of any relevant criminals involved in the story.

_ "In my rookie year with the NYPD, my partner and I helped bring a dangerous sexual predator to justice."_

The effort was well crafted and ambitious enough to even get the police commissioner to get over his stage fright and give a cameo in every commercial. The fact that the project coordinator was his granddaughter possibly made things smoother, but the collected stories were impressive enough.

_ "I'm Commissioner Frank Reagan. Join the NYPD, and see what happens in _Your_ Rookie Year"_

Frank Reagan, impeccably dressed in a finely pressed suit, sat at his large desk in his office in the fourteenth floor of One Police Plaza, and smiled as he invited all qualified men and women to apply to become New York police officers. The commercial ended with the shield of the NYPD dominating the screen with the correct webpage for the interested to log onto displayed.

A knock at the door brought in Jamie and Eddie, arms laden with pizza. The whole Reagan coterie wasn't going to be here tonight, just some of them. Jamie and Eddie, not living far from Bay Ridge at Brooklyn Heights, could make the trip without too much trouble.

"Did we miss it?" Eddie demanded, peeking over Jamie's shoulder.

"Yesss" Nicky answered a little sourly.

"Next time I drive" Eddie snarled softly at Jamie.

"Sorry!" Jamie called over his shoulder, depositing his pizzas on the kitchen table. What followed was a minor free-for all, as Erin, Frank, Nicky, Jamie and Eddie seized slices to take back to the living room. Eddie, eager to provide for her soon-to-be-grandfather in law, made sure to bring Henry's favorite type over to him. All then raided the fridge for their favorite adult beverages.

"So" Eddie asked "anyone we know in the first commercial?"

"Sergeant Erasmus Visser" Nicky supplied. "Caught a sex maniac at a drunk driving checkpoint on a St. Patties Day"

The six perched on the seats and sofas and chowed on pizza, and watched the news – more interested in the commercial slots than for the news stories. After that was the Rangers / Flyers game. Eddie was still undecided whether or not to out herself as a Flyers fan, but figured that'd be a revelation best saved for after the honeymoon.

Soon after the news came the second ad.

_ "Hello. I'm Officer Candice Newcomb. I graduated the New York City Police Academy in 2013. _

_ "A week before Christmas 2013, my partner and I were patrolling the Queens Center Mall. The place was packed, with lots of kids waiting in line to see Santa Claus – at the same place I used to see Santa Claus when I was a little girl. _

"_We heard a scream from the food court, and when we ran over we saw that a four year old girl was choking on her chicken sandwich piece._

_ "I was a little bit closer to the girl, so I grabbed her, pulled her from her seat, and successfully performed the Heimlich Maneuver, while my partner radioed for an ambulance. The girl's name was Caroline. She pulled through!_

_ "In my rookie year with the NYPD, I helped save a little girl's life._

_ "I'm Commissioner Frank Reagan. Join the NYPD, and see what happens in _Your_ Rookie Year"_

"That's some powerful stuff." Jamie Reagan "Great work Nicky. And dad"

Erin's appreciation was qualified. "It's good work. If you've got to romanticize the job, it's best to romanticize it well."

Nicky shot her mother a dark look, but before she could say anything Jamie jumped in with the sarcasm. "Well not all the testimonials are romantic. Mine goes like _'Hi, I'm Sergeant Jameson Reagan. My rookie year I had to babysit the body of a dead old woman. We call them 'stinkers' on the job. The smell was awful, and her cats had eaten her face off. My rookie year with the NYPD, I burned a uniform and helped animal control euthanize some cats'_. Cue dad. I can't wait until it airs."

Nicky and Eddie howled with laughter, while Erin rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me! Eating!" Henry protested, holding up his slice in demonstration.

The game started, Philadelphia Flyers versus the New York Rangers at The Garden. When the Rangers went up 2-0 in the first period, Eddie hoped that nobody noticed that she was the only one not cheering.

By the third commercial break in the first period …

_ "Hello. I'm Detective Abigail Baker. I graduated from the New York City Police Academy in 2000. _

_ "In that year, there were a lot of push-in robberies in the Bronx. The victims were typically senior citizens who had no chance of defending themselves. _

"_On March 7__th__ 2001, my patrol sergeant and I received a call for a burglar forcing his way into someone's home. A concerned citizen had called 911. Both my partner and I and our backup arrived at the same time, and we had enough officers to trap the burglar in the house. He didn't even suspect anything was wrong until he was making his exit. He was immediately taken into custody without incident. The weapon he used was found to be linked to several unsolved homicides in the neighborhood."_

"_In my rookie year with the NYPD me and three other officers stopped a crime spree, and helped get a prowler and a murderer off the streets."_

"_I'm Commissioner Frank Reagan. Join the NYPD, and see what happens in _Your_ Rookie Year."_

" Gotta say" Nicky gloated "It's not getting old yet."


	2. Rookie Rescue Reunion

**Chapter Two**

**Rookie Rescue Reunion**

_ "Hello. I'm Detective Demarcus King. I graduated from the New York City Police Academy in 1998"_

_ "My first winter on the job was cold – very cold. The winter of 1998-into 1999 had so many cold snaps that we lost count, and had six or seven major snowstorms. _

"_On January 19__th__, 1999, I had a foot patrol along Bryant Park. It was just before midnight when I came up on the park. I checked the benches for anyone camping out, and found someone sleeping there. With the temperature dropping into the single-digits that night, that was very dangerous. When I woke her up she was incoherent. I called EMS, who took her to the hospital and treated her for hypothermia. From there she was refereed to a homeless shelter. _

"_My rookie year with the NYPD I helped save one of New York's more vulnerable citizens."_

"_I'm Commissioner Frank Reagan. Join the NYPD and see what happens in _Your_ Rookie Year."_

Sergeant Jamie Reagan typically made it a point to rotate amongst all the patrolmen and women in his platoon at the 2-9. One by one, he'd ride with them all, especially the newer bloods. When there were an odd number of bodies for the tour, that made it easy. When the tour was made up of an even number, Jamie usually drove his RMP solo to a spot not far from a known foot post, and teamed up with the foot sloggers, turning a duet into a troika. Such had been today.

Jamie pulled his RMP into the parking lot of the 29th precinct building, letting out his two passengers, foot patrolmen Bringhurst and Capriotti. The day had been pretty uneventful, the two patrolmen handing out a few summonses for illegally parked cars, and that was pretty much it.

It was the changing of the guard at 1600, and Jamie sauntered into the 29th. He turned in his car keys, radio and microphone set, and Taser, then headed towards the men's locker room.

But he didn't even make it halfway there before he was halted by two familiar faces, which were unfamiliar to this station. His old Training Officer and partner, Anthony Renzuli was waiting for him, in civvies. Renzuli was backed up by Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Garret Moore.

Renzuli and Jamie's faces lit up with recognition of each other. "Sarge!" Jamie exclaimed.

"Sarge!" Renzuli said to his former newbie, now a newly minted sergeant. "You wear the stripes well"

"You taught me how" Jamie said. "in fact, when it's nice outside like this, I do what you taught me – park the car and take my rookie out for a stroll to meet the faces."

"Hey," Tony "it's like I said. 'You don't meet the people from behind –"

"-from behind 2000 pounds of steel" The quote was finished not by Jamie but by Eddie, who had just arrived, already changed into her street clothes. "So, _you're_ where he got that line." Eddie said, smiling knowingly at Renzuli. "I should have known. He used that on me like the first or second time we rode out together"

"It's a good line" Jamie said with a shrug and a smile.

"You let me think that you'd thought that one up yourself" Eddie said with faux annoyance.

"I had to. TOs are supposed to be clever like that" Jamie defended.

"Hey" Tony began again. "Good TOs borrow from their own TOs. Great TOs _steal_ from their own TOs!"

"What's up?" Jamie asked. "Do you miss us? Because we're not going back to the Twelve."

Tony shook his head "Nah. I'm here for you, but not because of that. We've got a play date this Thursday morning at _Sunrise New York_. We're gonna be on TV – Along with your niece."

"Nicky?" Jamie asked in surprise.

"What? You got more nieces? Yeah. Nicky"

Garrett now spoke up. "_Sunrise New York_ wants to do a real quick interview on Nicky's NYPD recruitment project. Your commercial is going to be one of the interviewer's exhibits. They want to ask you and Tony a few questions. It looks like a perfect PR coup d'é·tat. You saved a life, no controversies, and you're a walking talking high five for the PCs office. And I'm not the type to turn down a quick and easy victory lap."

"Oh. OK." Jamie said. "That's pretty short notice."

"That's why I'm here" Garrett said. "Your lieutenant's new job is to free you up for this Thursday. Whatever he needs to do that, I'm here to tell him that he'll have it."

With that, Renzuli and Jamie shook hands again, and Garrett made his way to the sergeants desk.

Eddie turned towards Jamie with a certain glitter in her eyes. "Woooow" she purred. "You and Nicky. I'm marrying into a family of TV stars."

Leaning in towards her ever so slightly – Jamie was of course still in uniform and thus couldn't be overly affectionate without scandalizing the entire precinct- he quipped "Don't worry, you get used to the glamorous lifestyle".

Eddie overcame the temptation to laugh out loud and throw her arms around her fiancé, but not the temptation to toss Jamie and ear-to-ear grin as she headed out the door of the precinct.

xxxx xxxx

_ "Hello I'm Sergeant Jameson Reagan. I graduated from the New York City Police Academy in 2010._

_ "In my first year as a patrolman, my partner and I were sent to an apartment in response to a noise complaint. When we got there, the was a big loud party in full swing. I thought we were just going to be there for a few minutes to ask everyone to turn down the music. But while we were there, four kids overdosed on drugs. _

_ "Things happened fast. Very fast. My partner and I each grabbed a victim, and then pressed two more of the kids to attempt CPR on the other two. _

_ "The girl I was working on was very lucky. She survived. The other three victims weren't as lucky._

_ "In my rookie year with the NYPD I saved someone's life for the first time. _

_ "I'm commissioner Frank Reagan. Join the NYPD and see what happens in _Your_ Rookie Year."_

It turned out to be Eddie's Regular Day Off -RDO in NYPD parlance- and she had little difficulty getting a seat in the audience of WRRU's _Sunrise New York_.

Although Eddie couldn't see them, Jamie and Tony Renzuli stood in the stage left wing of the studio, waiting to come onto the set. Since Nicky was the brain-mother of the advertising/ recruitment project – or at least the face of it- she began the segment. None of reporter Diane Piper's questions were particularly hardball, but there was a medium strength question that Nicky deftly handled.

"Ms Reagan, what would you say to critics of this recruitment ad who say that these police stories say nothing about the more controversial aspects of police work, such as allegations of excessive force, discrimination, or corruption?" Diane asked.

"Well, Diane," said Nicky "I'd politely point out to them that this is a recruitment drive, and practically no recruitment drive for _any_ organization takes the time to acknowledge any controversies that the organization's confronted. Universities like Penn State and Duke have both confronted controversies in the past, and so has our MTA. Diane, even our well known and loved WRRU station has confronted a sexual harassment scandal. I'm quite sure that none of these controversies are placed front and center in any of these organizations' recruiting drives." During the entire little speech she never lost the twinkle in her eyes, and her smile was always sweet, but never condescending.

"I'll tell ya, kid. That niece of yours is _something_!" Renzuli whispered with admiration. Jamie had to admit, his niece was wasn't _becoming_ yet another formidable woman in the Reagan clan. She already _was_ one.

"Now one of your uncles is here with us today" Diane Piper said, changing topic. "And he was one of the testimonials for this project."

"Yes he is" Nicky said, the twinkle in her eye flashing with pride "And as much as I enjoy bragging on him, what happened that night is his story to tell" she said.

Diane's smile now flashed as brightly as Nicky's did, at being prompted by her guest. "Well then, lets bring him in. Please give a _Sunrise New York_ welcome for Sergeants Jamie Reagan and Anthony Renzuli of the NYPD!"

Despite the reporter's encouragement, the applause and cheering was only at around 60% intensity, Eddie estimated. Not everyone in the audience was interested in cheering for cops… But Eddie _did_ notice that a few more female voices were audible cheering when Jamie made himself visible. To retaliate against those nameless women who were eyeing her fiancé, Eddie put her two little fingers in her mouth and let loose a boisterous tweeting whistle, quickly becoming the loudest man or women in the audience.

The two NYPD Sergeants took their seats next to Nicky and opposite Diane Piper. Both men had their friendly smiles on.

"So then, you're both sergeants with the NYPD." Diane quizzed.

Renzuli pounced on the question "That's true" he said. "Former officer Reagan got his hard earned promotion just last year, while I've had the stripes for quite a bit longer"

"So you were officer Reagan's Training Officer then." Diane asked.

"I was" Renzuli nodded. "We rode together for about two years. And I'd love to take the opportunity to point out, that as much as this lovely lady on my left likes to brag on her uncle, Jamie loves bragging on her every bit as much. Always has"

"Is that right?" Diane asked, amused buy the fact that Nicky was beginning to blush.

"Oh yeah. In our two years, I learned about Nicky the 8th grade Science Fair star, Nicky the honors student, Nicky the basketball star, and a dozen or so other accolades"

Nicky was now mostly off camera, but Cameraman No 3 was sure to catch her hiding her face in her hand.

In the audience, Eddie noticed this on the TV monitors which were set up for the audience's benefit. It was then that she noticed that they were probably watching the version that was airing on TV, as the edits and camera jumps seemed to be in the style of a live airing.

"Like he said" Jamie interjected, fishing for a way to change the subject. "We rode together for two years. Nicky can pile on a lot of accomplishments in that time."

"Obviously it's quite an accomplished family" Diane said. "Which brings us to one of _your_ first accomplishments as a police officer. The night of November 7th 2010."

"It was a bad night in a lot of ways" Jamie began.

"We had no way of knowing it at the time," Renzuli said "But it seems that someone had poisoned a designer drug called 'M-Cat' in order to target someone in particular. They ended up seriously poisoning four people at a party."

"It was pretty bad." Jamie continued. "All three stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest. And they did it just as Tony and I were arriving on-scene to -believe it or not- inform the party that they were being too loud. The victims started collapsing right there in the room."

"So what happened?" Diane asked.

"Tony radioed for ambulances right away. It was clear that we needed at least four of them." Jamie said.

"Jamie went right for the nearest victim, a teenage girl" Tony continued. "I went for one of the guys. As I began CPR on my guy, I asked around for who knew CPR. Two other partygoers stepped up and began to work on them."

"Of the four, was it only one who responded to the CPR?" Diane inquired.

Both men were silent for just a moment. Tony broke the silence "At various points, all four began to respond the CPR. All four pulses and respiration came and went. Then came again and went again. It was like that for however many minutes it took for the paramedics to get there."

"We were both happy that any of them survived." Jamie said somberly. "And we were both pretty torn up that three didn't. All four of us, that is -us, and the two kids who stepped up to help us tried our best."

"And yet the girl you saved" Diane said gently. "In the midst of all that tragedy, saving her counts as a big moment in your life, isn't that true?"

"Oh yes." Jamie responded. "I'm pretty sure that every rookie cop, firefighter or EMT has a series of such big moments, and their first one can't be but memorable. No matter what happens in their career, they'll always remember they were able to help someone who needed it, when they needed it"

"The name of the young woman who survived, Sergeant Reagan. Do you remember who she was?"

"Her name was Alyson Duvitz." Jamie said. "I remember the kids telling me her name when we tried to wake her up, and then later on when I and other officers tried to look her up in the hospital ICU."

Jamie and Tony noticed a collective soft gasp coming from the audience. They couldn't see the audience for all the head and foot lights – from their points of view, the crowd was a shapeless black mass. Not sure what – if indeed anything – was going on, they patiently waited for Diane's next question.

Eddie Janko was one of the audience members who was gasping. The TV monitors over the audience's heads were showing the broadcast version of the interview. As the camera focused on Jamie, and as he worked on remembering Alyson Duvitz's name, a banner flashed across the screen.

**Allyson now works for WRRU Studios.**

**She is on the sound crew of **_**Sunrise New York**_**.**

**She is now backstage and on her way to the set … with her son. **

"Oh, my God…" Eddie whispered to herself. She felt her hands fly to her mouth in excitement. It was nice not to be in uniform for this, with people expecting her badge and bag to be pillars of stoic calmness.

"Sergeant Reagan, do you believe Alyson would have any memory of you that night?" Diane asked.

"Oh, Jeeez. I don't know." Jamie said. "It was as while ago. Eight, almost nine years ago. In a way I hope she doesn't. It was a pretty horrible night for pretty much everyone."

"She does" came a soft voice from behind Jamie. He had to turn around in his chair to see the source, coming as it did from his blind spot.

There stood Angela in a pink flowered sun dress, with a wide smile. At her side, holding her hand was a young boy, also well dressed. He looked to be three or four.

Angela's hair color had changed a little. It was longer and blonder. And Jamie had never really seen her standing up, as she was passed out at that ill-starred party, and laying on her back at the hospital.

But Jamie did remember her eyes from that night, blue and horrified and wracked with self-imposed guilt and shame. Eight years ago, they had been blinking up at him, pleading with him to somehow reverse the night and undo the damage that had been done to her friends by the M-Cat. Jamie had had a bizarre feeling of strength and impotence – strength at having used his skills at saving a life, and powerlessness at he and Tony not being able to save more.

But now those same blue eyes shone towards him, tearing up in joy and gratitude. She still had a cute little beauty mark on her chin. And as pretty as she'd be in any reality, her beauty was enhanced by the adorable kid squeezing her hand.

"Hello" she said "… _Sergeant_ Reagan."

Jamie was on his feet in a flash, and not ready for a surprise of this heft, let his mouth hang open in shock. Tony was also on his feet, grinning in appreciation – but the camera wasn't on him. Neither was it on Nicky, who had a hand up to her mouth in shock and surprise. "Angela?" Jamie gasped.

Angela could contain herself no longer. Taking two giant steps in his direction she flung her free arm around him in big sideways hug, which Jamie returned.

"You look great!" Jamie gushed.

"You look really good too" Angela said. "And _this_ is Thomas James." She said introducing her son. "I had him right after I graduated college"

Jamie sank down in a crouch to shake the youngster's hand. "I'm very happy to meet you" he said with a huge smile.

By now the audience was cheering wildly, and pretty much unanimously. Eddie was clapping as loudly as the rest of them. Everyone in the crowd was charmed at the sight of the police sergeant shaking hands with the toddler, but none were thrilled to the extent that Eddie was watching her soon to be husband with a child.

The interview continued as the crowd calmed down. Angela had gone on to college, and had gotten a degree in communications. Her internship at WRRU, had turned into a job, and was well on its way toward becoming a career.

Thomas James had come along just a few years ago, although she didn't go into any details about the father. Young Thomas was ever so slightly mis-named – Angela had been convinced that the first name of the officer who had saved her was short for "James", not "Jameson". And Thomas, like many a three your old was interested in all vehicles that had lights and sirens on them. He was thrilled to death when Jamie offered to let him wear his police hat.

"I'm so happy that things worked out so well for you" Jamie said, as the interview began to wrap up.

"I'm proud of what I've done. But I remember every day that I wouldn't have been able to do any of it if you guys hadn't been there for me". Angela said.

Diane returned to Nicky "Ms Reagan, is it your hope that stories like your uncle's, when folded into this recruitment campaign will inspire future NYPD recruits"

Nicky nodded "I spent my whole life at a dinner table loaded with cops. I know their stories inspired me to take the NYPD entrance exam. I'm very hopeful that a few dozen of these stories will make the right sort of people want to be police."

"_You_ took the NYPD entrance test?" Diane Piper said with some surprise.

"I did" Nicky said with a smile.

"How do you think you did?"

"We'll have to wait and see." She said as the smile was joined by a coy twinkle in her eyes.

_ "Hello I'm Officer Nicole Reagan. I graduated from the New York City Police Academy in 2021._

_ "In my first year as a policewoman, my partner and I were patrolling Central Park. A school had scheduled a class trip on the same day. We were on foot patrol near the Metropolitan Museum of Art when it was discovered that a child was missing. Nobody knew where he was – either somewhere inside the museum or on the surrounding grounds or in the park or in the city. _

_ "We immediately called for an amber alert, and the grounds were flooded with NYPD officers from four precincts. We were assigned to search a section of the Park just off of the museum grounds. _

_ "Before we got to our sector, we located the boy. He had run off to explore one of the walls in the rear of the museum and had fallen and injured himself. He was unconscious, but breathing. I immediately called EMS, who brought him to the hospital where he recovered. _

_ "In my rookie year I found a missing child, and played a part in saving his life. _

_ "I'm commissioner Frank Reagan. Join the NYPD and see what happens in _Your_ Rookie Year."_


End file.
